My Favorite Holiday is Coming - Black Friday

“Black Friday" is my favorite holiday along with Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, birthdays - ok - I love holidays and they are all favorites for me.

This one has a rich tradition for me and deep family roots. Growing up in Portland, Oregon, I was used to being at a store called Fred Meyer at 5 am or 6 am for the door-busters, donut holes and half-priced socks. More than that, it was a tradition to go with my grandfather and the rest of the family. It was tradition, just like $1.99 DVDs, cheap TV’s, and the occasional fight over the last discounted toaster in stock.

Do you know the origin story of “Black Friday?”

Perhaps you jump to the idea that retailers run in the “red” (negative) until this time of year when holiday shopping pushes sales into the “black” (positive).

This has been the narrative most hold and it makes sense so it sticks. There is probably a shred of connection in the accounting practices of business that run a loss early in the year and then picks up revenue as the year progresses. But, we owe Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, for the adage “black friday.”

It emerged in the 1950’s as the city was flooded for the Army-Navy game and holiday shopping that occurs the days immediately following Thanksgiving. Because of the influx of people, police were not allowed to take off work, traffic increased, shoplifting rose and more problematic aspects that led the day to being called “Black Friday.”

Check out this short History.com article about my favorite holiday and it’s name.

https://www.history.com/news/black-friday-thanksgiving-origins-history

As always, if you come across a financially related article you’d like to send my way please do! 

Best place to send them is to me.

More next time!

Jonathan